What is a Life Care Plan?

The American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners (AANLCP) defines a life care plan as a plan that outlines an individual’s needs throughout the healthcare continuum, in multiple settings, and throughout life expectancy. A Life Care Plan must be flexible, with provisions for periodic re-evaluations and updates.  Source: American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners Scope and Standards

A life care plan is a plan created by a professional such as a Registered Nurse who has a certification in life care planning, such as Certified Nurse Life Care Planner (CNLCP) and/or Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP). The plan will include all future medical care a patient will need and can include things such as medical evaluations and office visits, therapy, diagnostic testing, surgeries and procedures, rehab, equipment and supplies, personal care and home/yard maintenance, transportation, home modifications and anything else anticipated or deemed necessary for that particular individual; each life care plan is unique to that patient’s medical needs.

The plan is laid out in an organized fashion, typically in easy to interpret tables that indicate the frequency, duration, replacement intervals and an estimate of the reasonable costs associated with each item.

The life care planner is an integral part of creating a life care plan and has the knowledge, training, and experience to provide an accurate and reasonable plan of care for each patient’s future.  Every patient who suffers from injuries or chronic conditions can benefit from having a plan for their future care.

To find out more about life care plans, review the FAQs on our life care plan page. To have a life care plan started for your client contact Dawn directly at 702-544-2159.